# MSFTPERF02-BP02 Consider the use for EC2 Fast Launch to accelerate launching your Microsoft workload instances
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 EC2 Fast Launch will speed up the Windows EC2 instance launch process. When you configure a Windows Server AMI for EC2 Fast Launch, Amazon EC2 creates a set of pre-provisioned snapshots to use for faster launching. It completes steps such as Sysprep specialize, Windows Out of Box Experience (OOBE), and rebooting as required. Especially useful when you need to scale fast. 

 **Desired outcome:** Significantly reduce Windows instance launch times and improve scaling responsiveness for Microsoft workloads by leveraging EC2 Fast Launch to pre-provision snapshots and complete initialization steps, enabling rapid deployment and auto-scaling capabilities for time-sensitive applications. 

 **Common anti-patterns:** 
+  Accepting standard Windows instance launch times without evaluating Fast Launch benefits, missing opportunities to improve application availability and user experience during scaling events. 
+  Implementing Fast Launch without considering the additional costs of pre-provisioned snapshots and temporary instances, potentially increasing expenses without adequate benefit analysis. 
+  Using Fast Launch for infrequently launched instances where the preparation overhead exceeds the benefits, leading to unnecessary complexity and costs. 

 **Benefits of establishing this best practice:** 
+  Dramatically reduced instance launch times through pre-provisioned snapshots that eliminate Windows initialization steps like Sysprep and OOBE during actual instance launches. 
+  Improved application availability and scaling responsiveness during traffic spikes or auto-scaling events, enhancing user experience and system reliability. 
+  Enhanced disaster recovery capabilities through faster instance replacement and environment restoration when rapid recovery is critical for business continuity. 

 **Level of risk exposed if this best practice is not established:** Low 

## Implementation guidance
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 Implementing EC2 Fast Launch requires careful evaluation of your scaling patterns and cost-benefit analysis. Focus on AMIs that are frequently launched and where launch time significantly impacts application performance or user experience. 

### Implementation steps
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1.  Identify Windows AMIs that are frequently launched or require rapid scaling capabilities for your Microsoft workloads. 

1.  Analyze current instance launch times and scaling patterns to determine potential benefits of Fast Launch implementation. 

1.  Configure Fast Launch for selected AMIs through the EC2 console or AWS CLI, specifying the number of pre-provisioned snapshots to maintain. 

1.  Monitor Fast Launch metrics including launch time improvements and associated costs for pre-provisioned resources. 

1.  Evaluate cost-benefit ratio considering snapshot storage costs, temporary instance costs, and performance improvements. 

1.  Integrate Fast Launch-enabled AMIs into auto-scaling groups and deployment processes to maximize scaling responsiveness. 

1.  Establish monitoring and alerting for Fast Launch resource utilization to optimize the number of pre-provisioned snapshots. 

1.  Document Fast Launch configuration and regularly review effectiveness based on actual scaling patterns and requirements. 

## Resources
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 **Related documents:** 
+  [Configuring your Windows AMI for faster launching](https://docs.aws.amazon.com/AWSEC2/latest/UserGuide/win-ami-config-fast-launch.html) 
+  [Launch Microsoft Windows Server instances on Amazon EC2 up to 65% faster than before](https://aws.amazon.com/blogs/modernizing-with-aws/launch-windows-faster-on-ec2/) 

 **Related tools:** 
+  [Launch Microsoft Windows Server instances on Amazon EC2 up to 65% faster than before](https://aws.amazon.com/blogs/modernizing-with-aws/launch-windows-faster-on-ec2/)